Operating means for fluid valves



1969 G. J. KOE HLER ETAL 3,

OPERATING MEANS FOR FLUID VALVES Filed Oct. 24, 1965 on MRRM Y ,OEE E T N NHHfi R EEE 0 V0 T m /M T d A E V R 0 BM E SE H U0 T 66% FlG.

United States Patent 3,429,551 OPERATING MEANS FOR FLUID VALVES Gustave J. Koehler, 769 NE. 77th Terrace, Miami, Fla.

33138, and Gordon T. Koehler, 421 Acorn Drive, Dayton, Ohio 45419 Filed Oct. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 504,648

US: Cl. 25199 Int. Cl. F16k 35/00, 31/60 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to fluid valves and is particularly directed to manual means for operating a poppet type of fluid valve for use in the compressed air lines of railroad rolling-stock and other similar or related uses.

In general it is an object of this invention to provide means to operate heavy duty fluid valves used in the compressed air lines of railroad rolling-stock or other similar uses.

Another object is the provision of improved means for manually moving the valve member of heavy duty fluid valves from open to closed position and vice versa and for accurately locating said moving means and said valve member in either of its open or closed positions and for securing said moving means in either of said positions.

With these and other incidental objects in view the invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts a preferred form or embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partially sectioned, of the improved type of operating means, the sectioned portion being taken along line 11 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIG. 2 is an elevation showing, in particular, the valve operating means and its connection to the operating cam for the poppet type valve member.

FIG. 3 is a right angle projection of the body portion of the valve shown in FIG. 1 and illustrates, in particular, the opertaing mechanism for the valve member.

Description The subject matter of the present invention is an improved type of operating means for fluid valves used in the compressed air lines of railroad rolling-stock such as cars, coaches, engines, etc.

Referring to the different figures of the drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, the valve comprises a body portion 14 having a hexagonal head 15 formed on the downward end thereof to receive a proper type wrench for applying the valve to the air line, said downward end having a threaded opening which communicates with the hollow interior of said body portion 14, said threaded opening providing means for attaching the valve to the air line at either end of the cars, or other railroad equipment, where it is desired to use said valve.

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The valve also includes an L-type seat portion 16 which is secured to the top face of the body portion 14 by suitable screws 17 (FIG. 2). The seat portion 16 (FIG. 1) has a circular groove 18 formed therein arranged to receive a combined seat and sealing washer 19, made of suitable plastic material, which forms a leak-proof connection between the seat portion 16 and the body portion 14, upon proper tightening of the screws 17. The bottom surface of the seat washer 19 also serves as a seat for the top surface of a head portion 21 of a poppet-type valve member 22. Like the interior of the body portion 14, the interior of seat portion 16 is hollow to form a fluid passage, said passage being threaded near its outer edge to receive a proper coupling for connection to the air line of the adjacent car.

The valve member 22 (FIG. 3) has opposed guide rails 23 and 24 which snugly engage corresponding guide slots 25 and 26 formed in the hollow interior of the body portion 14. The guide rail 24 is formed at a slight angle to the perpendicular to provide clearance at the lower end thereof, which permits the valve member 22 to rock or tilt slightly when it is being disengaged from the seat 19, to ease the operation of said valve member under extreme conditions of pressure or weather. The valve member 22 (FIG. 3) has formed therein a cam opening 27, which coacts with the periphery of a cam 28 secured on the inner end of an operating shaft 29 (FIGS. 1 and 2) journaled in a bushing 30 threaded in the body portion 14 and having a sealing ring 31 mounted in a groove formed in the head portion thereof, which in cooperation with the face of the body portion 14, forms a leak-proof seal between said bushing and said body portion 14. The bushing 30 also has a groove formed in the interior thereof adjacent to the bore for the shaft 29, to receive a sealing ring 131 which forms a leak-proof connection between said bushing and the periphery of said shaft 29, to prevent leakage of air therebetween.

The downward surface of the opening 27 in the valve member 22 (FIGS. 1 and 3) has a bore which freely supports a plunger 132 and its associated compressible spring 133. The spring urges the plunger 132 upwardly to maintain the rounded nose thereof in yielding engagement with the periphery of the cam 28. The springpushed plunger 132 serves to take up any lost motion between the cam 28 and the valve member 22, to effect smooth operation of said valve member under various pressure conditions and to assist in rocking said valve member out of engagement with the seat washer 19 upon operation of the cam 28.

A handle 33 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is provided for operating the valve member 22, and said handle has a slightly elongated hole in the inner end thereof which freely engages the shaft 29. The handle 33 carrier a stud 34 (FIG. 2) which extends outwardly between two adjusting screws 36 threaded in corresponding similar extensions formed on a shaft operating collar 35 secured on the outer end of the shaft 29. A spring 37 (FIG. 1) coiled around the shaft 29, is compressed between the bottom of a counterbore in the inner surface of the collar 35 and the handle 33, and urges said handle inwardly to maintain it in yielding engagement with either of two slots 38 and 39 (FIG. 2) formed in a semi-circular collar 40 forming an integral part of the body portion 14 and extending outwardly from the face of said body portion 14 adjacent the shaft 29, to accurately maintain the valve member 22 in either its open or closed position.

By referring to FIG. 2 it will be seen that the handle 33 has a slot 45 arranged to freely engage a lug 46 formed on the seat portion 16 and said lug is arranged to be engaged by said slot 45, when the handle 33 is in its open position, as shown in dot-and-dash lines in FIG.

3 2. A hole 47 is provided in the lug 46 to receive the shackle of any suitable type of padlock, to lock said handle 33 in its open position.

If desired a lug similar to the lug 46, may be provided on the body portion 14 in proper position to be engaged by the slot 45 when the handle is in its closed position, as shown in full lines in FIG. 2, so that said handle and valve may be locked in said closed position.

By referring to FIG. 1 it will be seen that the hole in the inner end of the handle 33 which engages the shaft 29, is countersunk on both sides and is provided with sufiicient clearance so that said handle may be rocked outwardly against the action of the spring 37 to lift said handle out of either of the slots 38 or 39 and above a central lug 41 formed by the inner surfaces of said slots, and high enough to clear the locking lug 46. During this lifting movement of the handle, the stud 34 slides between the inner ends of the screws 36, which are adjusted to provide suificient clearance for this sliding movement and said screws also serve as a means for properly locating the handle 33 in relation to the slots 38 and 39 and to the open and closed positions of the valve.

After the handle 33 has been raised out of the slot 38 or 39 sufficiently to clear the central lug 41 and the locking lug 46, it may be turned and by means of the stud 34, screws 36 and collar 35 turns the shaft 29 and cam 28 in unison therewith to shift the valve member 22 either downwardly or upwardly to open or close the valve. After the handle 33 has been turnedapproximately 90 degrees, the edge of said handle comes into engagement with a corresponding lug extending outwardly from the collar 40 adjacent the outer surfaces of the slots 38 and 39 to interrupt turning movement of said handle and to aline it with the corresponding slot 38 or 39. Releasing the handle 33, after it has been turned to the proper position, permits the spring 37 to return said handle inwardly into engagement with the slot 38 or 39 to hold said valve member in either open or closed position. When the handle 33 and the valve are in open position, releasing of said handle permits the slot 45 therein to engage the lug 46 so that said handle may be locked in open position, as explained previously.

The lug 41 has threaded therein a set screw 32 which is turned into firm engagement with a flat surface formed by the hexagonal head of the bushing 30 (FIG. 2) to hold said bushing against any tendency to turn. The hexagonal head of the bushing 30 also provides means by which a suitable wrench may be used to install or remove the bushing.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described in admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form or embodiment herein disclosed for it is susceptible of embodiment in various other forms all coming within the scope and spirit of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a valve of the class described, having a body portion supporting an operable valve member movable to open or closed position, the combination of a shaft mounted in the body portion and having its inner end operatively connected to the valve member; a valve operating handle rockably mounted on the outer end of the shaft; a semi-circular collar formed on the body portion; slots formed in the collar of the body portion, said slots corresponding to the open and closed positions of the valve member, said slots engageable by the handle; a projection on the handle; adjustable means secured to the shaft and slidably engaged by the projection to provide an operating connection between said handle and said shaft and to simultaneously permit rocking of said handle, said adjustable means also providing means for adjusting the projection in relation to the shaft to enable the valve member to be in exact open and closed position when the handle is engaged in the respective slots; yieldable means to urge the handle into yielding engagement with the slots to locate and hold said handle, the shaft, and the valve member in open or closed position, and to permit rocking of said handle out of said slots for operation of the shaft and the valve member; and a projection on the body portion engageable by an opening in the handle, when said handle is in the slot corresponding to the open position of the valve member, to secure said handle, shaft, and valve member against operation.

, References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,035,490 8/1912 Stott et a1. 251-99 1,700,847 2/ 1929 Livingston 251-98 2,025,431 12/1935 Barnes 137-383 2,333,100 11/1943 Grant 251--96 X 2,665,879 1/1954 Housekeeper et al. 25l-95 3,329,394 7/1967 Overbaugh 25199 FOREIGN PATENTS 806,345 12/ 1958 Great Britain.

M. CARY NELSON, Primary Examiner.

R. C. MILLER, Assistant Examiner. 

